23 min
Derrike Cope Celebrity Interviews LIVE From The Grotto With Greg Hanna
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- Entrepreneurship
In this episode, Derrike Cope joins the show.
Derrike Wayne Cope (born November 3, 1958) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He is known for his win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Rick Ware Racing in an alliance with his own StarCom Racing. Cope also served as team manager of StarCom. As of 2022, he is the last driver to compete in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race in five consecutive decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s).
Cope was born in San Diego, California and was raised in Spanaway, Washington. In high school, he enjoyed auto racing and baseball. He was a catcher on the Bethel High School baseball team, and later played college baseball at Whitman College. While being scouted by Major League Baseball teams, Cope suffered a knee injury that ended his playing career. He then devoted himself to racing full-time.[1][2]
Cope progressed through the short-track ranks in the Northwest, and later made his Winston Cup Series debut at Riverside International Raceway in 1982. Cope's No. 95 car finished 36th there after developing an oil leak, and he won $625.
He ran part-time in the Winston Cup Series after that, making an attempt at Rookie of the Year in 1987. In 1989, he signed with Bob Whitcomb to drive the No. 10 Purolator Pontiac and later Chevrolet, posting four top-10 finishes.
During the last lap of the 1990 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt ran over a piece of debris and cut a tire in turn three. After narrowly avoiding most of the resulting debris, Cope assumed the lead and earned his first win, as well as his first Top 5 (his best finish prior to the 1990 Daytona 500 was sixth) in NASCAR competition. He became an overnight sensation as a result of the win, appearing on Late Night with David Letterman that week. At Dover later in the 1990 season, Cope rallied for another win after running out of fuel and falling off the lead lap. At year's end, he wound up 18th in points.
In this episode, Derrike Cope joins the show.
Derrike Wayne Cope (born November 3, 1958) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He is known for his win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Rick Ware Racing in an alliance with his own StarCom Racing. Cope also served as team manager of StarCom. As of 2022, he is the last driver to compete in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race in five consecutive decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s).
Cope was born in San Diego, California and was raised in Spanaway, Washington. In high school, he enjoyed auto racing and baseball. He was a catcher on the Bethel High School baseball team, and later played college baseball at Whitman College. While being scouted by Major League Baseball teams, Cope suffered a knee injury that ended his playing career. He then devoted himself to racing full-time.[1][2]
Cope progressed through the short-track ranks in the Northwest, and later made his Winston Cup Series debut at Riverside International Raceway in 1982. Cope's No. 95 car finished 36th there after developing an oil leak, and he won $625.
He ran part-time in the Winston Cup Series after that, making an attempt at Rookie of the Year in 1987. In 1989, he signed with Bob Whitcomb to drive the No. 10 Purolator Pontiac and later Chevrolet, posting four top-10 finishes.
During the last lap of the 1990 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt ran over a piece of debris and cut a tire in turn three. After narrowly avoiding most of the resulting debris, Cope assumed the lead and earned his first win, as well as his first Top 5 (his best finish prior to the 1990 Daytona 500 was sixth) in NASCAR competition. He became an overnight sensation as a result of the win, appearing on Late Night with David Letterman that week. At Dover later in the 1990 season, Cope rallied for another win after running out of fuel and falling off the lead lap. At year's end, he wound up 18th in points.
23 min